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2. The Falcons lost another rivalry game to the Saints because they couldn't convert in short-yardage. The difference between this year and last: Mike Smith only tried to run once in three plays against New Orleans. Smith knows the team can't win up front.

Mike Smith's an excellent head coach. He's good enough, in fact, that I'm tempted to try to find excuses to figure out why he wouldn't have been more aggressive with the game on the line. Does he have such little faith in Michael Turner that he (and offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter) didn't think that the Saints would honor play-action or a possible run? Was he really afraid that the Saints would score a touchdown and put the game out of reach with a nine-point lead? Did he have last year's failures [on 4th and short] ringing around in his head? Honestly, from his quote after the game, it just sounds like he has a simple rule that's antiquated and doesn't consider how meaningful a given situation can be. That's really disappointing, and on Sunday, it played an enormous role in ending Atlanta's undefeated season.

I don't have any problems with one of Smith's choices. I doubt Blank does either.

I have a problem with the player who put us in that situation. Turner, the DB's and McClure [Yes, I'm calling out possibly my favorite Falcon] . Turner was awful. We all saw that. Everyone saw that. The DB's took bad angles, didn't tackle well and were overall just bad. McClure allowed a lot of penetration in the run game. Turner used to be able to do something with little blocking but now he can't do anything when the center is blown up.

They continue to ride the same horses and using the same formula over these last few seasons -- White, at age 31, still has the most targets (80) and Turner, at age 30, has 3X as many carries as Rodgers. The issues with the O-Line are obvious and we knew that coming into this season, but it cannot be fixed in-season. What can be fixed though is increasing the roles of the younger guys like Julio and Quizz, who are excellent in space and have the competitiveness to finally get this offense completely out of the stone age. It took them four years to take the 'cuffs off Ryan and now he's getting MVP talk. The Bucs increased Doug Martin's role over plodding Blount and that decision has made a huge impact on their offense, despite losing two very good blockers for the season. Just have to get the football in your gamebreakers hands, doesn't matter which egos get bruised.

They continue to ride the same horses and using the same formula over these last few seasons -- White, at age 31, still has the most targets (80) and Turner, at age 30, has 3X as many carries as Rodgers. The issues with the O-Line are obvious and we knew that coming into this season, but it cannot be fixed in-season. What can be fixed though is increasing the roles of the younger guys like Julio and Quizz, who are excellent in space and have the competitiveness to finally get this offense completely out of the stone age. It took them four years to take the 'cuffs off Ryan and now he's getting MVP talk. The Bucs increased Doug Martin's role over plodding Blount and that decision has made a huge impact on their offense, despite losing two very good blockers for the season. Just have to get the football in your gamebreakers hands, doesn't matter which egos get bruised.

No doubt. Snelling should have a bigger role for the between the tackles runs because he could easily do what Turner is doing and he is a much bigger threat on pass plays [both receiving and blocking] and 'Quizz just needs more of a Sproles role. No FB for him, move Gonzalez out wide and let him get space on his runs. There is no reason why he is so good at making plays after catching a pass and can't do the same when given space on a run play. I'm not talking about pitching it every play but maybe do some zone blocking plays with four out wide. He's so small he can fit in small holes and his change of direction and ability to stop on a dime is nasty.

I just don't see how we haven't made a change yet. Our running game with Turner at the helm is UNACCEPTABLE. Ridiculous that we put up with this ****. We should've beat the Saints and it kills me to lose to them. I ****ing hate that team and every one of their fans.

Michael Turner was not the only reason the Falcons lost this game, but he was a major part of it. Going against the second worst rush defense in the NFL, Turner managed 13 yards on 15 yards and actually went backwards a yard on a third and one on the one yard line late in the fourth quarter with the Falcons needing a touchdown to go up and potentially win. Turner's has some pretty good games in 2012, but he has rarely come through when the team needs him.

If your power back can't convert a yard when you really need it and can barely average over a yard against one of the league's worst defenses, then he's of little use to your football team. The Falcons need to find another solution right damn now.

No doubt. Snelling should have a bigger role for the between the tackles runs because he could easily do what Turner is doing and he is a much bigger threat on pass plays [both receiving and blocking] and 'Quizz just needs more of a Sproles role. No FB for him, move Gonzalez out wide and let him get space on his runs. There is no reason why he is so good at making plays after catching a pass and can't do the same when given space on a run play. I'm not talking about pitching it every play but maybe do some zone blocking plays with four out wide. He's so small he can fit in small holes and his change of direction and ability to stop on a dime is nasty.

Yeah, I agree with all of this. And while I'm still in the camp that doesn't believe Rodgers is an every-down back, he is a better option in the no-huddle and on 3rd down. Don't know what to make of Snelling because he hasn't shown much to me either, but it can't get much worse than what we've already seen.

Originally Posted by ugafan

I just don't see how we haven't made a change yet. Our running game with Turner at the helm is UNACCEPTABLE. Ridiculous that we put up with this ****. We should've beat the Saints and it kills me to lose to them. I ****ing hate that team and every one of their fans.

They lost 2 of the last 3 against that team essentially because of blunders on 3rd/4th down. Win both of those matchups and it's a new day, but since they didn't, well.....

They continue to ride the same horses and using the same formula over these last few seasons -- White, at age 31, still has the most targets (80) and Turner, at age 30, has 3X as many carries as Rodgers. The issues with the O-Line are obvious and we knew that coming into this season, but it cannot be fixed in-season. What can be fixed though is increasing the roles of the younger guys like Julio and Quizz, who are excellent in space and have the competitiveness to finally get this offense completely out of the stone age. It took them four years to take the 'cuffs off Ryan and now he's getting MVP talk. The Bucs increased Doug Martin's role over plodding Blount and that decision has made a huge impact on their offense, despite losing two very good blockers for the season. Just have to get the football in your gamebreakers hands, doesn't matter which egos get bruised.

It all comes down to coaching adjustments, they know what these players can and cannot do at this point in the season. Like the final link in my first post says, Smith is a damn good coach no doubt, but the difference between him and Sean Payton('s coaching tree) is that when both men face a tough decision, Payton usually gets aggressive while Smith goes the conservative route. You saw it in that game and we've seen it in this series since they took the jobs, that's why lately they have the upper hand.